Updates, Changes, and Announcements

Happy hump day friends! I know I’ve made myself scarce the past few weeks by only posting arc reviews sporadically, as I’m desperately trying to stay on track and keep up, but I’m breaking that today and bringing some new changes and announcements your way. For a few months now I’ve been feeling an overwhelming burnout taking over; I never intended for my blog to focus so heavily on pre-published reviews and so little on discussions and older books I’ve been wanting to read for ages. The stress has caused me to reach out for help, and I’m pleased to announce that I think I have come up with a solution that will keep everyone happy!

#1- Slowing Down and Taking It Easy:

As difficult as it is, I’ve decided that I need to halt personally accepting new arcs at the moment, unless they come with no deadline attached. I really need to give the books I already have the time that they deserve, and once that is done I’d like to pace myself so that I have time to read my fun books as well. I’m not sure how long this will take me, but with another upcoming move in January, I’m thinking it may be best to hold off until either our move or I feel I can breathe again, whichever comes first. I know we all experience blogging burnout and the stress that comes from FOMO, which brings me to my next point…

#2- Another Guest Reviewer:

I cannot express how excited I am to have DENNIS MICHEL come onboard as part of our Suspense Is Thrilling Me team! Some of you may be familiar with him via Bookstagram, but Dennis has been reading and reviewing via Goodreads and his talented writing was not being utilized as much as I felt necessary. I am beyond thrilled he decided to jump on board, so you’ll finally be seeing a greater genre variety hosted here on a regular basis, as he enjoys almost all genres (just don’t throw any historical fiction or erotica his way). He is the vodka soda to my whiskey ginger, so please help me give Dennis a warm welcome here and check out his bio on the About page!

I also wanted to include that Mary will still be a guest reviewer and these recent changes are not a means of forcing her out, but just a way to grow the family and double my blessings! She has had a lot on her plate right now and needs a break as well, so please keep her in your thoughts and prayers! ❤

#3- Updated Review Policy:

And by updated, I mean that I finally added one! Hah! Yep, it was one of those things I constantly meant to do, but never followed through. I really appreciate all of you who let me think I wasn’t a weirdo and just smiled and nodded through me figuring this all out. I’m hoping this will help clear up expectations on both sides and also provide clear guidelines for blog posts and bookstagram requests as well.

#4- Suspenseful Clues & Thrilling Reviews has moved:

In case you missed it, Sam and I’s book club is now solely on Goodreads! We decided it was just easier to keep all the discussion in one place, and we’d love to see you join us there! Click the link to find us HERE.

Thank you guys for sticking with me through thick and thin; I’m confident the upcoming changes are going to be for the best and am so excited to start finding a balance here on the blog!

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Published by The Suspense Is Thrilling Me

Chelsea is a happily married mother of two who's love of mysteries can be traced back to her first Nancy Drew experience. When not reading and writing book reviews, she likes to drink wine in her jammies and pretend that she exercises.
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Welcome Dennis! I already follow him on IG and GR and can’t wait for his in depth reviews.

This sounds like a great plan for you Chelsea. I don’t know what I’d do if I received 40 books a month for review! Just thinking about it is stressful😂 I hope you achieve a balance and can read your fun books on a regular basis! Good luck on your upcoming move as well…that’s exciting yet also stressful for sure:)

Oh I joined the GR group yesterday! 🙂 And about everything else… I agree. But Im not as stronger as you so the only thing I managed is to decrease my Netgalley urges… Im still getting physical arcs lol Hopefully I’ll learn to slow down. You know what has helped me read older books? The Throwback Thursday series that Renee created…sometimes I just need to feature an older favorite because I haven’t had time, but other weeks I’m able to read a book that is not an ARC and it feels so good!!

And I totally get it about the arcs. I’ve been meaning to join in on Throwback Thursday for well over a year now, and I think I’m the opposite. I can’t manage to read any fun books until these arcs are cleared bc I feel so guilty, which is wrong, but there you have it! 😂 most of my physical arcs are for October then I’ll be able to breathe some. I remember being so stressed during the last move that I’m trying to prepare ahead now. I actually haven’t requested arcs in about 6 months so I’m trying to not feel guilty when I don’t read all these books that just show up unsolicited.

Bahaha well I just don’t request them anymore, but more show up than ever did when I was requesting! 😂😳 It’s a nice problem to have, but I feel guilty when I don’t read a book I’m sent, even when I never asked for it and it just came because a publisher has my address and hopes I’ll read it. That’s what most of them are now, and it’s getting to the point where I’m receiving probably 40+ a month and I just can’t keep up.